Quick Air Fryer Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet potato pie holds a special place in my heart, but I’ll be honest – making it from scratch used to stress me out. The thought of rolling out perfect pie crust and waiting hours for it to bake properly always made me put it off until the last minute. Then I discovered I could make individual sweet potato pies in my air fryer, and everything changed.

These little pies cook in half the time of a regular oven, and there’s something so satisfying about having your own personal pie. No fighting over who gets the biggest slice or waiting for someone else to cut it. Plus, if one turns out wonky, you’ve still got others that might be perfect.

The air fryer gives you that nice golden top without heating up your whole kitchen. And honestly? They taste just as good as the traditional version. Maybe even better because you can eat them warm without having to wait for a whole pie to cool down.

What Kind of Sweet Potato Should I Use?

For the best sweet potato pie, you’ll want to use orange-fleshed sweet potatoes like Beauregard or Centennial varieties – these are the ones you typically find at most grocery stores. You can absolutely use canned sweet potato puree if you’re short on time, just make sure it’s 100% sweet potato with no added sugars or spices. If you’re making your own puree, roasting the sweet potatoes in the oven brings out their natural sweetness better than boiling, and you’ll get a richer flavor in your pie. Make sure your puree is smooth and well-drained since too much moisture can make your pie filling watery.

Options for Substitutions

This air fryer sweet potato pie is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Sweet potato puree: You can make your own by roasting sweet potatoes until tender, then mashing them smooth. Canned pumpkin puree also works as a substitute, though the flavor will be slightly different.
• Brown sugar: White sugar works fine, or try maple syrup (reduce to 1/3 cup and cut back on other liquids slightly). Coconut sugar is another good option for the same amount.
• Heavy cream: You can use evaporated milk, whole milk, or even coconut milk for a dairy-free version. The texture might be slightly less rich but still delicious.
• Vegetable oil: Melted butter, coconut oil, or any neutral oil like canola will work just as well. If using coconut oil, make sure it’s melted and cooled slightly before mixing.
• Individual spices: Don’t have all the spices? You can substitute with 2½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice instead of the individual cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
• Pre-made pie crust: This is one ingredient I wouldn’t skip – the crust is essential for structure in the air fryer. However, you can use graham cracker crust or make your own from scratch if you prefer.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making air fryer sweet potato pie is not pre-baking the crust for 5-7 minutes before adding the filling, which can leave you with a soggy bottom that never fully sets.

Another common error is filling the pie crust too high – air fryers circulate hot air rapidly, so keep the filling about ¼ inch below the rim to prevent overflow and messy cleanup.

Temperature control is crucial here, so start at a lower temperature (around 320°F) and avoid the temptation to crank up the heat, as this will cause the top to brown too quickly while leaving the center undercooked.

Always check for doneness by inserting a knife into the center – it should come out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs, and remember that the pie will continue to set as it cools.

What to Serve With Sweet Potato Pie?

Sweet potato pie is already pretty perfect on its own, but a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream takes it to the next level. I love serving it with a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea since the warm spices in the pie pair so nicely with those cozy drinks. For special occasions, try drizzling a little caramel sauce over each slice or sprinkling some toasted pecans on top for extra crunch. If you’re serving it for a holiday meal, it goes beautifully alongside other fall desserts like apple crisp or pumpkin cheesecake.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Your sweet potato pie will stay delicious covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I like to cover it loosely with foil or plastic wrap once it’s completely cooled. The flavors actually get even better after a day or two, so don’t worry about making it ahead!

Freeze: This pie freezes really well for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil, or store it in a freezer-safe container. I recommend slicing it first so you can grab individual pieces whenever you want a sweet treat.

Serve: For the best taste, let refrigerated pie sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. If you’re serving from frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge first. You can warm individual slices in the microwave for 20-30 seconds if you prefer it warm, but it’s just as good cold!

Preparation Time	10-20 minutes
Cooking Time	15-20 minutes
Total Time	25-40 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1900-2100
• Protein: 20-24 g
• Fat: 90-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 260-280 g

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed well for accurate measurement)
• 2 eggs (large, at room temperature for better emulsion)
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup sweet potato puree (homemade from roasted sweet potatoes for best flavor)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic vanilla extract for baking)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or neutral oil like canola)

For the crust:

• Pre-made pie crust (a good quality refrigerated crust works well, like Pillsbury)

Step 1: Preheat the Air Fryer

Begin by preheating your air fryer to 300 degrees F (149 degrees C).

This helps ensure that your pies bake evenly once placed in the basket.

Step 2: Prepare the Pie Crusts

• pre-made pie crust

Press the pre-made pie crust into the bottom and up the sides of several 3-inch pie plates, making sure there are no air bubbles or gaps in the dough.

This creates the base for your sweet potato pies.

Step 3: Make the Sweet Potato Filling

• 1 cup sweet potato puree (cooked)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves

In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato puree, brown sugar, vegetable oil, heavy cream, eggs, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves.

Mix all the filling ingredients together until the mixture is smooth and silky.

I like to make sure everything is well incorporated for a perfectly creamy filling.

Step 4: Assemble the Mini Pies

• sweet potato filling (from Step 3)
• pie crusts (from Step 2)

Divide the prepared sweet potato filling (from Step 3) evenly among the prepared pie crusts (from Step 2), smoothing the tops with a spatula if needed.

Do not overfill to prevent spillage during air frying.

Step 5: Air Fry the Pies

Place the filled mini pie plates in the air fryer basket, making sure they do not touch.

Air fry at 300 degrees F (149 degrees C) for about 15 minutes, or until the pies are set and cooked through.

Allow the pies to cool slightly before serving so the filling firms up.

For extra flavor, I sometimes dust the top with a little extra cinnamon before serving.